Nothing is more satisfying than making a cake from scratch, and you can make homemade chocolate cake taste even better if you use the proper ingredients. Christina Marsigliese, a pastry chef and founder of Scientifically Sweet, has shared that the best way to ensure that chocolate cake comes out richer and creamier is to use sour cream. She said: “One of the secrets to the best moist chocolate cake recipe is sour cream! And a lot of it.
“Sour cream contributes the dairy undertones, rich flavour and body (thanks to its high protein and fat content) that oil-based cakes lack. Full-fat sour cream adds richness and dairy notes to this cake in the absence of butter.” It may seem bizarre, but sour cream binds more moisture into the cake batter, resulting in a more melt-in-your-mouth texture that tastes absolutely delicious.
You will not be able to taste any of the sour cream as it helps to enhance the cocoa powder so it will have a deeper creamy, rich flavour without it tasting overpowering.
How to make a chocolate cake
Ingredients
- 250g of plain flour
- 200g of caster sugar
- 110g of light brown sugar
- 55g of cocoa powder
- One teaspoon of baking powder
- One teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
- Two large eggs
- One teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- 140ml of hot coffee
- 180ml of full-fat sour cream
- 120ml of vegetable oil
Instructions
To begin with, preheat the oven to 175C. Lightly grease two round cake pans and line the bases with baking paper.
Use a sieve to sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Add both sugars and the salt, then mix well to press out any lumps from the brown sugar.
In a separate medium-sized bowl, add the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Stir well, and then pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
Use a handheld mixer or wooden spoon to mix everything together until you have a smooth, thick, and well-blended cake batter. Do not worry if it appears somewhat dry at this stage.
Next, slowly pour in the hot coffee. Try to add it gradually in two pours to try and avoid lumps forming, then mix everything together until it is fully combined.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Cook the cakes until you can insert a toothpick into the middle, and it comes out clean.
Once the cakes are removed from the oven, leave them in the pans for 15 minutes before removing them and placing them on a wire rack to cool completely.
When the cakes are cool, prepare a frosting either by making it yourself or using a store-bought one.
Spread the frosting on top of one cake and on the bottom of the other one, then sandwich the cakes together. Cover the rest of the cake with the remaining frosting using an offset spatula.
Your delicious and mouthwatering chocolate cake will then be ready to serve.
